John P Holland: Submarine Man

John P Holland, the Irish inventor of the modern Submarine. This picture was taken around 1912.

Despite facing what sometimes seemed like insurmountable obstacles, the Irish engineer John P Holland refused to give up on his vision of building a submarine and eventually perfected a design that was adopted by a number of leading powers, including the Holland 1 that was purchased by the Royal Navy in the UK.

Throughout his life, the sea and his love of it pervaded Holland’s every waking moment. He was born in 1840 into the seaside community of Liscannornin, on Ireland’s dramatic Atlantic coast, where his father worked as a coastguard, It was therefore perhaps not surprising that he would go on to dedicate much of his life to bringing his dream of a submarine to reality. The eventual design and launch of both the Fenian Ram and, more famously, the Holland 1 were proud moments indeed in Irish history.

Holland standing in the hatch of one of his submarines.

John initially went to St. Macreehy’s National School, moving in due course to the Christian Brothers in Ennistymon. During the terrible hardships of the Great Famine, reality hit as one of his younger brothers and two beloved uncles sadly died.

In 1852, his father decided to retire from his position as a coastguard and relocate the family to Limerick. John therefore enrolled at the Christian Brothers in that town. When his father died not long after the move, he started to work a teacher in several of the Christian Brothers’ schools in order to keep the family afloat financially. He went on to take on the official vows of a Christian Brother and was known henceforth as Brother Philip.

In November 1858, Brother Philip was given a position at Cork’s North Monastery School, where he was introduced to a fellow Brother from Limerick, Brother James Dominic Burke, who was a renowned teacher of science and a leading proponent of vocational training.

Engine area of the Holland 1 (note the carbon monoxide ‘detector’ – the cage containing mice in the engine area)

Burke was one of Holland’s most ardent supporters and fully encouraged him to complete his first proposals, which would later form the design outline of the vessels purchased by both the US and UK navies.

When poor health led to him leaving the Christian Brothers in 1873, he decided to follow his mother and two of his brothers to America. He booked himself a passage (in steerage) and set sail to meet them where they had settled in the city of Boston. On arrival, he took a position with a firm that specialised in engineering. After a time, he reverted to teaching, taking a job with another Catholic educational establishment – St John’s Parochial School in New Jersey – that also fell under the remit of the Christian Brothers. Fate intervened when he fell and broke his leg, necessitating a long hospital stay. It was during this period of enforced rest that he refined his plans, giving him the confidence that he really would be able to build a fully working submersible craft that would become commercially successful.

The funding that he so desperately needed to carry on developing and honing his designs came via his brother Michael, who had built a relationship with the Fenian Movement in the US. Together, the Fenians and Holland decided to pool their resources and work on producing a workable submersible craft together, which indeed they did. However, the partnership ultimately broke down over a row about finances.

For the next twenty years, Holland joined forces with a diverse range of corporate supporters in order to refine his prototypes and attempt to achieve a level of fame and success that at times had seemed almost out of reach due to the many bureaucratic and monetary hurdles that he had to overcome.

Perhaps fittingly, it was on St. Patrick’s Day in 1898 that Holland first triumphantly trialled his prototype, taking it through the full range of surfacing and diving manoeuvres just off the coast of Staten Island.

A view of the Holland 1 in the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport from the Stern.

A demonstration was scheduled for ten days later to showcase the design, and it prompted no less a figure than Theodore Roosevelt (who was then the Assistant Secretary of the Navy) to advise the US Navy to purchase one of Holland’s submarines. Despite this important recommendation, a further two long years elapsed before the US Navy signed on the dotted line.

Finally, on April 11, 1900, the navy finally committed to the purchase of a Holland craft at the cost of $150,000, which although a seemingly princely sum was actually only half of the cost of the design itself. To Holland’s great relief, the navy subsequently placed orders for seven additional craft.

Other nations, including the UK, which went on to purchase the Holland 1, and Japan were also intrigued by Holland’s revolutionary design and adopted it to help them develop their next generation of submarines. He received the prestigious Rising Sun Medal from the Emperor of Japan, and monuments were erected in his memory in both the US and Japan.

The Torpedo Tube on the Holland 1

The 53-foot-long submarine combined most of the key design ideas that Holland had identified two decades earlier and became the blueprint for most subsequent submersible craft, including the Fenian Ram and the Holland 1, right up to the present day.

After spending the majority of his life perfecting his submarine designs, including the Fenian Ram and the Holland 1, John P Holland died in Newark on the 12th of August, 1914. He is buried in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in New Jersey. He is revered to this day as a true innovator and a credit to his native Ireland.

Event Details

The 68th Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will take place in Drogheda. This will be the first time in the history of the Fleadh that it is being held on the

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Event Details

The 68th Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will take place in Drogheda. This will be the first time in the history of the Fleadh that it is being held on the north east coast of Ireland.

The annual Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann has grown over the years to be the largest and most unique cultural festival in the world. With attendance numbers in excess of 400,000 one can truly see its importance. Its significance is cultural, economic and social and it is a tribute to all those who kept the cultural traditions of Ireland alive down through the decades.

For a great many musicians, the Fleadh is the culmination of months of hard work and practice as they compete against fellow musicians, singers and dancers at local Fleadhanna so as to achieve the recognition of being an All-Ireland champion.

For others, the Fleadh is a unique and welcoming festival featuring the very best of traditional arts and offering a wide range of activities to be enjoyed by all.

This years Fleadh will have a significant emphasis on youth with children’s mid-morning sessions organised to run from Monday through to Thursday from 11.00 a.m. – 12.00 p.m. in the Barbican Centre. It will also offer an extensive youth programme which aims to increase student’s awareness of Irish culture and tradition and encourage them to become actively involved in the Fleadh.

Fiddles and bodhrans which were made by the Drogheda Men’s Shed and decorated by secondary school students in the town were on display at the launch and these will be displayed in various shops throughout the town during the Fleadh in August.

Families will be well catered for with lots of events at Seachtain na Gaeilge and the Mid Morning Sessions in the Barbican Centre which will be hosted by Sean O’Laoire, well known singer and Gaeilgeoir from Co. Meath.

Tickets are available to purchase for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018 and the line-up of events, activities and performances, which will take place every day from Sunday 12th through to Sunday 19th August 2018, is available to view at www.fleadhcheoil.ie.

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The annual Féile Ceol na Locha Summer School in the Gaeltacht area of Tourmakeady, will take place this year from the 13th to the 17th of August. It is a music, culture and language school sponsored mainly by Údaras na Gaeltachta and An Comhairle Ealaíon, and is held at Coláiste Mhuire, with all tuition provided through the medium of Irish.

Now in its 20th year, the school provides training at beginners and intermediate level in the following subjects: button accordion, tin whistle, fiddle, harp, flute, bodhrán, guitar, concertina, sean-nós dancing, irish singing, art and conversational Irish. Most of the teachers are back year after year.

During the week there will be evening sessions in the local pubs where the tutors, students and locals will be playing.

Registration for the Classes/Workshops will commence in Coláiste Mhuire on at 9.30am on Monday. The Classes/Workshops then take place during the mornings between 10am and 1.30pm. The Summer School is open to all ages from 9 years of age, no upper limit.

For the 5 to 9 years age category, there is Óige Ceol na Locha. The activities include games, art, singing.

On the final day of the summer school the teachers and students will participate in a finale concert at Coláiste Mhuire. This concert provides a great opportunity for all the participants to play and dance together.

Then, early on Friday evening there will be a Barbeque for everyone. This will be held at Paddy’s Bar which is in the village.

Over the years, the school has taken on an international flavour, with participants coming from the UK, Europe and the USA.

As already mentioned, all tuition is through the medium of the Irish language.

For full details of the Summer School and to register for a place, please visit the Ceol na Locha website.

Event Details

Now in its 16th year, Masters of Tradition celebrates the best of Irish and International traditional music in its’ purest form through a series of concerts, talks and performances.
The performances

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Event Details

Now in its 16th year, Masters of Tradition celebrates the best of Irish and International traditional music in its’ purest form through a series of concerts, talks and performances.

The performances take place mainly in Bantry House, which is one of Ireland’s most exquisite historic mansions, and in other venues such as St Brendan’s Church.

The event provides a platform where subtle and sometimes obscure elements of Irish traditional music can be heard. By seeking the heart of the music we find a universal voice that has widespread appeal reaching across many cultural and musical barriers.

The festival is headlined by its Artistic Director, Martin Hayes, the fiddler from East Clare, whose distinctive touch and extravagant virtuosity has brought the tradition to new levels. His famous trance-evoking sets with Dennis Cahill have mesmerised audiences all over the world and will do so again this summer!

This year, Masters of Tradition is broadening its reach through two exciting new endeavours Ceolchoirm Rúnda (Secret Concerts) and Cainteanna (Talks).

The Secret Concerts will take place in unusual venues throughout the Bantry area. Admission to these concerts is free but booking is required. If you want to find out who is performing, you’ll just have to come along!

The Cainteanna (Talks) series includes discussions and chats exploring music,
creativity, tradition, philosophy, poetry and history with an occasional tune
or two for good measure. Details on each of these afternoon events are
included throughout the programme.

Also, during the festival impromptu sessions of extraordinary quality continue non-stop day and night on the streets and in the pubs.

Tickets are available to purchase for Masters of Tradition 2018 and the line-up of events, activities and performances, which will take place every day from Wednesday 22nd through to Sunday 26th August 2018, is available to view at www.westcorkmusic.ie/mastersoftradition/programme.

Event Details

The Crotty Galvin Traditional Music Weekend, is one of the most authentic and friendliest festivals you are likely to find. It is held at Garrihys Bar in Moyasta, near the

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Event Details

The Crotty Galvin Traditional Music Weekend, is one of the most authentic and friendliest festivals you are likely to find. It is held at Garrihys Bar in Moyasta, near the stunning Loop Head peninsula and named after three celebrated local musicians, Ellen ‘Nell’ Galvin, PJ Crotty and his brother Peadar Crotty.

Musicians, dancers, singers and storytellers are invited every year to perform for the weekend. This year marks its 16th year with it going from strength to strength each year. The weekend features a great line-up of sessions, ceilis, dancing and music classes.

On Saturday afternoon, there will be free music and dance workshops. These will be between 12 and 4pm and are always well attended. The Workshops/Classes will cover Tin Whistle, Concert Flute, Fiddle, Brush Dance and Séan Nós Dancing.

The Weekend kicks off on Friday night at 8pm with a Seisiún. Then at 9.30pm the weekend will be Officially Opened by Jesse McNamara. This will be followed by another Seisiún and a Ceilí with Dal Gcais Ceilí Band.

On Saturday there will be a visit to the green (weather permitting) with a short prayer and a few tunes and an afternoon Seisiún with the Ann Hayes Group in Garrihy’s which will include a host of very talented young musicians. At 5pm the evening Seisiún will begin and will continue well into the night.

Remember that all Musicians are welcome to join in the Siesiúns!

Sunday starts off with Mass in St Flannans Church, Lisdeen at 9.30am followed by a visit to Lisdeen Cemetery to the graves of Nell Galvin and Peadar Crotty.

An afternoon Seisiún will commence at 2pm and then between 7 and 10pm the Seisiún Mór/Ceilí with Shandrum Ceilí Band will be on full flow in the Front Bar and from 10 onwards Donie Nolan and friends will be in the Lounge for a Ceilí.

Event Details

This September sees the second Fingal Fleadh and Fair take place in Swords. The medieval grounds of Swords Castle and the Main Street in Swords Village will host a programme of

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Event Details

This September sees the second Fingal Fleadh and Fair take place in Swords. The medieval grounds of Swords Castle and the Main Street in Swords Village will host a programme of workshops and recitals.

This event celebrates the strong tradition of music in the Fingal community and will be centred around participation and performance with free Workshops and Concerts by some of the biggest names in traditional Irish music. It is geared very much for all the family with something for everyone to enjoy.

John Spillane will be returning again this year and performing his ‘Songs We Learned in School’ set which proved to be very popular last year.

Swords Castle will be the key venue for the event with free concerts featuring Lumiere, Kíla, Danú, The Whileaways, The Dixie Micks, John Spillane, The Mulcahy Family, Niamh Parsons and many more.

Also in the castle grounds there will be an Artisan Food, Drink & Craft Fair.

This year there will be a Street Seisiún Competition which will take over Swords on Saturday the 8th with the Main Street closed to traffic.

During the festival there will a ‘Session Trail’ around the town which will feature a mixture of performances and open sessions by musicians from all over the country.

The Fingal Fleadh is the perfect place to meet up with all of your friends for a few tunes and to enjoy a weekend of great music.

If you have any queries regarding the Fingal Fleadh & Fair, please email: [email protected]